Campus becomes tobacco-free in 2012

A tobacco-free campus is one of the results of new rules and laws that went into effect in 2012.

If you want to purchase an incandescent light bulb or a smoke a cigarette on the Minnesota State Mankato campus — too bad.

The new year has arrived, and so have a handful of new laws that took effect Sunday.

At Minnesota State Mankato, the campus became entirely smoke-free. Officials said the new policy represents the next step in what has been a long battle with careless smokers who litter their cigarette butts and ignore the previous policy of smoking only in the campus’ 28 designated areas.

The ban applies to students as well as staff and extends to university-owned or -leased vehicles. Signage will be displayed around campus alerting visitors to the new policy, though disciplinary procedures are not expected to be particularly formal.